Gautam Rajadhyaksha's Sridevi centrefold

 

The late great photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha captures a pensive Sridevi in his library

The image appeared in both G magazine and Filmfare in the late 90s in Mumbai. 

Not many know that Sridevi really did wear eye-glasses. Not just for a shoot... 

Sridevi on the sets of Nagina

Sridevi on the sets of Nagina

Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor in the posters of the blockbuster film! 

Sridevi with Rekha at the Premeire of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja back in 1993

 

On stage, a pic of the leading ladies of Bollywood at the grand - and I do mean GRAND - premiere of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja held in Mumbai back in April 16, 1993.

Sridevi, then 29, Rekha, then 38, were decked to the hilt for the lavish occasion as almost the entire industry turned up. Obviously we have dozens of pics in the archive here and here. 

Funnily enough, prescient Anil Kapoor, said to the press a month after, that he knew the night itself the fate of his home production,  'Superhit premiere, flop film..." . When you've been in the industry long enough, the stats don't need to be read in print, only on the faces of the industry. 

The media - there was a particularly vicious Cine Blitz cover story - tried to put their foot between the friendship between Sridevi and Rekha, and tried to poison their ears - we can look back on several leading questions that tried to agitate one or the other. As time proved, the two South Indian superstars  were friends from beginning to tragic end. Rekha herself anointed Sridevi her successor early on - and has consistently, year after year, praised Sridevi as an actor, star and talent. If she poked a little fun at Sri, Sridevi took it on the chin - and gave back in turn too. Nothing broke their bond. 

Sridevi has been nothing but respectful to her senior - watch the Filmfare clip of Sridevi winning her Best Actress Filmfare award for Chaalbaaz - and the first person she greets after the win is Rekha. 

TBH Rekha has mostly maintained her relationship with her seniors, contemporaries, successors and juniors with a lot of affection - some have taken her generosity it in the spirit intended, others, not so much. 

As Rekha turns a year older today, we state again for the record, Rekha is the greatest Indian actress alive today. It's only the incompetent industry that can't come up with  decent script worthy of her oceanic talent. She proves herself time and again on stage, in reality shows, on film, in magazines, in photoshoots, interviews and covers... All her critics have ceased relevance. Rekha's stardom remains undiminished. 

Sridevi with Rekha, Deepika Padukone

 Sridevi with Rekha, Deepika Padukone 

 Happy Birthday Rekha! Forever young, forever beautiful 

 

Not all of YRF Products or Production is a hit: The rise and fall of Diva'ni

As glorious as Sridevi was/is/forever will be, when she walked down the catwalk in this overstuffed designer mishap, we had an inkling that the ambitious project by YRF, Diva'ni would... flop as badly as Befikre. 

Diva’ni (the cinema-inspired couture label created in partnership between Yash Raj Films and New Delhi-based heritage fashion house KBSH) is no longer operational. And few are weeping over its closure. If any.... 

The Arc of the Brand

• The Grand Launch (2013): Launched on Yash Chopra’s birth anniversary in September 2013, Diva’ni made a massive splash as India’s first film-inspired fashion house. The brand officially debuted with a star-studded runway show featuring SRK alongside nine iconic YRF leading ladies—including Rekha, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma.

• Retail & International Expansion (2014–2016): Led by creative director Parinita Saluja, Diva’ni opened flagship stores in New Delhi (South Extension) and Mumbai, creating custom zardozi, hand-painted heritage textiles, and bridal wear. In 2016, it made headlines by opening a flagship store on M.M. Alam Road in Lahore, Pakistan, attempting to bridge cross-border couture through cinema heritage.

• Quiet Sunset: Following the late 2010s, as cross-border trade cooled and YRF shifted focus away from retail merchandising toward core film distribution and streaming ventures, Diva’ni’s physical boutiques closed down and the venture quietly wound down operations.

TOP 10 FLOPS of Yash Raj Films... 

As Yash Raj is the biggest film production goliath in India, and they churn out movies consistently, its hard to reconcile the famed logo with mega flops. And yet, a pool of the best talents together can coagulate to create... a mess. Indeed, over the past two decades, Yash Raj Films (YRF) has delivered massive blockbusters, but it has also faced several notable box-office disappointments and outright disasters.

Based on box office tracking and trade verdicts over the last 20 years (spanning roughly from 2006 to 2026), here are ten of the most prominent YRF flops and disasters:

1. Shamshera (2022)

• Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Vaani Kapoor

• The Verdict: Disaster

• The Story: Set in the 19th century, this high-budget period action drama centered on a warrior tribe fighting for independence against British rule. Despite a massive canvas and Ranbir Kapoor in a dual role, the film suffered from a dated script and failed to connect with audiences, becoming one of YRF's biggest box-office setbacks. For a Yash Raj film, there were a few surprising elements; or more rightly, lack there of; where was the memorable soundtrack? Music? Songs? Saw the film on OTT and kept falling asleep... 

2. Samrat Prithviraj (2022)

• Starring: Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar, Sanjay Dutt

• The Verdict: Disaster

• The Story: A historical epic based on the life of the legendary Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. Mounted on a grand scale, the film faced heavy criticism for its sluggish pacing, direction, and execution, resulting in a disastrous theatrical run. Beautifully mounted, gorgeous costumes, locations, visuals... but the story... yawn. 

3. Thugs of Hindostan (2018)

• Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: Bringing together two cinematic legends (Bachchan and Khan) for the first time, this big-budget action-adventure set in the colonial era was one of the most anticipated films of the decade. However, poor word-of-mouth regarding its screenplay and content led to a steep post-opening box-office crash. You know its bad when even the leading man of the film says, it was awful. The comedy didn't land, the action had a sense of deja vu, the choreography was laughable - its bad when Katrina Kaif in barely-there outfits bursts into the screen and when she starts dancing, the audience titters instead of titillates. 

4. Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022)

• Starring: Ranveer Singh, Shalini Pandey, Boman Irani

• The Verdict: Disaster

• The Story: A social comedy-drama championing the cause of female foeticide protection through the eyes of an ordinary, gentle-hearted man. Though it tackled a progressive theme, it failed to draw audiences to theaters in the post-pandemic landscape. A pity - the movie is wonderful, one of those noble-flops that will be remembered fondly in the future. The entire cast is great, the dialogues are unique and the messaging with a dollop of comedy lands. Alas, the audience hadn't returned to the big screen at the time of release. 

5. Fan (2016)

• Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Waluscha de Sousa

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: A high-concept thriller where Shahrukh Khan played both a massive movie star and a dangerously obsessed young fan. While praised for its ground-breaking VFX and Khan's performance, the dark, unconventional narrative lacked songs and a traditional commercial structure, alienating mainstream crowds. But full marks to Khan and the film for trying something different - Bollywood can be soooo predictable, especially a Khan film... at least this one had us holding the edge of our seats. And say what you will of King Khan; the man commits. Its easily one of his best and most underrated performances. 

6. Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021)

• Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Sharvari Wagh

• The Verdict: Disaster

• The Story: A sequel to the 2005 hit, this comedy introduced a new set of con artists clashing with the original duo. Releasing during the tricky recovery window for cinemas, it failed to capture the charm or box-office magic of the original. It was a bad sign when the lead hero, the talented albeit underrated Abhishek Bachchan said no the script and they scrambled in with Saif Ali Khan. Comedy is tricky; what's funny on paper... wasn't on screen! 

7. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015)

• Starring: Sushant Singh Rajput, Neeraj Kabi, Anand Tiwari

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: Directed by Dibakar Banerjee, this stylish, atmospheric neo-noir mystery brought a cult literary Bengali detective to life. While appreciated by critics for its meticulous 1940s Calcutta production design, it proved too niche for general audiences. Watch the film where you can- it is fantastic. A wonderfully gripping thriller - still astounds us whey the film didn't work out well. Perhaps the audience was in the mood for escapist fun and this dark mystery, just wasn't a cuppa tea the layman wanted to sip. 

8. Kill Dil (2014)

• Starring: Ranveer Singh, Ali Zafar, Parineeti Chopra, Govinda

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: An action-romance-comedy about two orphans raised by a ruthless don who try to reform. Despite energetic music and a lively cast, the lackluster script and disjointed tone failed to fire at the box office. The promotions were lit, to watch the talented butter-ball that Govinda's become in a new avatar was an interesting premise... alas, it didn't click with the audience. 

9. Daawat-e-Ishq (2014)

• Starring: Aditya Roy Kapur, Parineeti Chopra

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: A food-centric romantic comedy set in Lucknow and Hyderabad that attempted to tackle social dowry issues with a light touch. Despite a popular soundtrack, the film suffered from weak narrative traction and ordinary box-office returns. What didn't work? The look of the leading man. An awful haircut and a comical moustache, making one of the most handsome men in Bollywood look like a simpleton, and not working with the strengths of the leading lady, it had all the ingredients of a... flop. 

10. Aaja Nachle (2007)

• Starring: Madhuri Dixit, Akshaye Khanna, Kunal Kapoor

• The Verdict: Flop

• The Story: Marked as Madhuri Dixit’s grand comeback to Bollywood after a hiatus, this musical drama focused on a choreographer trying to save a historic Delhi theater. Despite high anticipation, the film stumbled significantly at the ticket counters. Everything about the film was.. fine... nice. Nothing extraordinary. Which was essentially the movie's problem. It was comme ci comme ça...just chalega. Which the movie didn't. 

When evaluated as a complete studio operation, Yash Raj Films (YRF) is comfortably in the plus—operating at a massive net profit.

While a stretch of high-profile flops might suggest financial vulnerability, YRF’s underlying corporate model, franchise scale, and revenue diversification ensure that its mega-hits far outweigh its box-office failures.

While YRF periodically endures dry spells—such as the post-pandemic stretch in 2021–2022 where Bunty Aur Babli 2, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Samrat Prithviraj, and Shamshera failed back-to-back—their corporate balance sheet remains firmly in the green overall.

South Indian line up of leading ladies: Teenaged Sridevi next to her mother Rajeshwari

 

There's Sridevi with her mother Rajeshwari on the far right. Do y'all know who the others are? 

There's Ambika, Jayasudha... and...?? Pls comment below and let us know who's who from L to R. 

Sridevi's profile in English Vinglish

 

When Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, it was framed around a single, cohesive, oft-repeated narrative: the grand screen comeback of Sridevi after a 15-year (self-imposed) hiatus. For global audiences and Western critics unfamiliar with her unmatched 266+film legacy, the film served as an introduction to a star whose screen presence transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries. Rather than viewing her through the lens of nostalgia, Western critics evaluated her performance as an exquisite study in dignity, vulnerability, and micro-expressive comic timing.

The Triumph of Expressive Dignity

Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, critic Lisa Tsering framed Sridevi’s performance as a study in quiet empowerment, observing:

"Indian screen legend Sridevi triumphs in a gentle, but affecting, story of a woman's awakening self-respect... The image of the newly confident Shashi striding down a Manhattan street, a takeout coffee in hand and a trench coat belted over her sari, will make you smile days after you leave the theater."

Tsering noted that Shinde’s writing and Sridevi’s interpretation presented a portrait that was "gloriously feminine, and uniquely Indian," finding strength not in aggressive rebellion, but in quiet self-assurance.

Perfect Pitch and Charismatic Return

Trade publication Variety’s film critic Joe Leydon highlighted how naturally the role fit the veteran actress, calling her performance a tailor-made vessel for her singular magnetism:

"Popular Indian thesp Sridevi returns to the screen after a 15-year hiatus with 'English Vinglish,' a sprightly star vehicle that finds her perfectly cast as an attractive yet old-fashioned homebody who elevates her sense of worth by becoming bilingual."

Leydon emphasized Sridevi's ability to anchor the film's narrative arc smoothly, balancing the vulnerability of a traditional homemaker mocked by her family with the magnetic charm that made her an undisputed superstar.

Warmth, Innocence, and Everyday Heroism

In the UK, The Guardian’s chief film critic Peter Bradshaw took note of the film's accessible charm and Sridevi's grounding presence in a three-star review. Describing the film as a "likable family comedy from India with its own air of innocence," Bradshaw highlighted the effortless sweetness Sridevi brought to the screen. He remarked that her performance contributed to an "undemanding picture that goes down as well as the heroine's tasty ladoos."

Similarly, writing for Canada's The Globe and Mail, critic Kate Taylor characterized Sridevi's turn as the central force driving a classic self-discovery arc, calling the film:

"A winsome if utterly conventional ugly-duckling story about a sympathetic character's much deserved progress toward a richer self."

Taylor further noted how impossible it was to overlook her presence: "It's hard to believe that anyone would take for granted the glittering presence of Sridevi."

Universal Resonance and the "Meryl Streep" Comparison

Across Western festival coverage and critical reviews—from The Hollywood Reporter to international festival dispatches—Sridevi's nuanced portrayal earned her widespread comparison to international icons, frequently earning her the title of "the Meryl Streep of India" among global festival-goers and film commentators. Critics recognized that her mastery lay in the details: a hesitant glance in a fast-food joint, the nervous adjustment of a sari pallu on a Manhattan subway, and the understated pride of a final wedding speech delivered in measured English.

In aggregating Western critical reception, Sridevi’s performance in English Vinglish stands out as a masterclass in subtlety. Western press consistently celebrated her ability to convert a modest, everyday conflict into a universally relatable narrative of human dignity and self-worth.

Sridevi in 1984 : At the launch of the Hindi film Govinda: Produced by Boney Kapoor!

Sridevi, 20, at the mahurat/launch of Govinda - a film produced by Boney Kapoor, with co-star Anil Kapoor. The movie went nowhere beyond launch... the team instead went on to make a little film called... Mr.India.

 

Hindi: पारिवारिक फिल्म साप्ताहिक मायापुरी 

Transliteration: Pārivārik Film Sāptāhik Māyāpurī

English Translation: Family Film Weekly Mayapuri

The pull quote from the cover, "I don't sign films based on who the hero is..." 

Fan art: Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in Mr India

Sridevi fan art is nothing new - in fact, when we first started the digital fan club back in 2000, one of the first few images posted was a Sridevi sketch by a fan. 

Then we got inundated with childish, amateur bad art - so we stopped posting them. Only keeping or highlighting the really good ones - like this. 

Sridevi and Anil Kapoor get a sketch from the artist below. 

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